Dear Ophthalmology Colleagues,
I’ve started to read the MIPS Manual: A Primer and Reference from the EyeNet Supplement (August 2017).
My practice plans to use the IRIS Registry web portal for MIPS reporting. The IRIS Registry dashboard eases confusion. The EyeNet Supplement (August 2017), Page 10, states that EHR vendors may also submit for all three performance categories. IRIS Registry (also free for AAO members) is a better fit for my practice this year.
There are 3 MIPS performance category baskets:
1. Quality – IRIS Registry does the calculation and suggests which measures to submit (with green flags!).
2. ACI (Advancing Care Information) – Practices need to select measures to submit.
3. IA – (Improvement Activities) – Practices need to select measures to submit.
Here’s my plan to achieve maximum benefit from the 2017 MIPS cycle:
- Watch the Academy’s 2-minute video “How to Avoid a 2019 MIPS Penalty”by George Williams, MD, Academy Secretary for Federal Affairs. The page includes instructions to report a single quality measure before December 31, 2017 to avoid 2019 penalties. My practice uses IRIS Registry AND I still plan to submit some claims-based quality measures.
- Review the AMA’s “MIPS Action Plan – 10 Keys Steps for 2017” (Opens as PDF) The AMA web portal for MIPS Action Plan is here. (It pays to be an AMA Member!)
- Review the Academy’s EyeNet Supplement (August 2017). Have a highlighter ready and circle measures you can meet easily. The supplement is initially overwhelming so plan ahead.
- If you participate in IRIS Registry, login into IRIS Registry portal and click MIPS in the left hand column (easier from desktop vs. tablet). This is where the rubber hits the road. I had my greatest ANXIETY RELIEF when I logged into IRIS Registry and reviewed the MIPS information. The 3 performance category baskets are outlined and I could more easily understand (with EyeNet graphics) which measures to submit. (See below)
- Develop a September action plan so that you can meet the measures needed to report successfully. If you plan on going for more than the minimum (#1 above) then you’ll need to develop a plan in September and start no later than October 2.
- I will continue to add and edit pearls in the weeks ahead. If you send me a pearl (in the comment section below or via @RaviDGoel), I will add with credit in this blog.
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My IRIS Registry Dashboard currently looks like this:
1. Quality – We need to submit 6 of 15 measures which the IRIS Registry is extracting from our EMR. Some measures have green flags, some red flags and some gray flags. I plan to monitor this so that we can submit for the full year if we have at least 6 measures with green flags.
2. ACI -Advancing Care Information – Here are the measures which IRIS Registry has for ACI. I will plan to master the mandatory measures and then use the EyeNet Supplement to see which other measures we need to submit to maximize our score.
3. IA – (Improvement Activities) – Here also, I will work with my team to identify the best measures to meet the IA component. IRIS Registry is a big help.
The IRIS Registry Dashboard will allow you to keep score along the journey.
Happy Labor Day weekend!
Please revisit this page for additional pearls and suggestions for measures which are more easily achievable with EMR.
Ravi
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Ravi D. Goel M.D. is a cataract surgeon & comprehensive ophthalmologist at Regional Eye Associates in Cherry Hill, NJ. He is also a clinical instructor at Wills Eye Hospital. His patient-friendly YouTube cataract surgery educational videos are here.
